Had known about this place for a while but didn't really think about visiting here until recently, and it happened to be on my travel route when driving up from Florida. I found it a little hard to find the place first; driving there the roads are really country roads. First of all, visited Plains High School, which is now a museum, the boyhood home, and the 1976 Presidential Campaign Headquarters (orginally a train depot; now a museum). Park ranger at the High School was helpful and so was another ranger (in overalls) at the boyhood home. We also drove by the "Smiling Peanut" statue (that simulates the famous "Carter smile") too. Very interesting exhibits and information on display.

This National Park is in the old Plains High School building. They have amazing exhibits showing different times of Jimmy Carter’s life and career. There is an exhibit of Jimmy Carter’s high school class. It is interesting to see that they needed to use ink wells just to write on paper. Complete contrast to lead pencils we use today. There is exhibits showing Jimmy Carter’s political career as well. How everything looked at an old ballet box to a replica of the oval office desk. It has a lot of interesting information and is worth a trip to see.

This a great place to see what elements go into making a President. There are several locations at this site and the best place to start is the old Plains High School. This really sets the tone for how important learning is to President Carter's success. It is also a good reminder of how much education has changed, and maybe not for the better. On your way to the home be sure to check out Billy Carter's gas station. At the childhood home I was the only person there. (My wife stayed in the car) This location set the tone for learning how hard work and how to treat others affected the rest of President Carter's life as his time with Habitat for Humanity would demonstrate. Be sure to look at all the buildings and see how much more simple things were and how much more meaningful many things were because you had to work for and earn what you had. This a great trip to combine with a visit to Andersonville.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ A Reverent and Beautiful Tribute to a Humble Giant Visiting the final resting place of President Jimmy Carter and First Lady Rosalynn Carter is a moving, peaceful experience. Nestled within their hometown of Plains, Georgia, the new Carter Presidential Park is everything it should be: accessible, dignified, and lovingly maintained. The portraits inside the museum are striking, especially Jimmy’s official White House portrait—calm, confident, and thoughtful—just like the man himself. Rosalynn’s portrait glows with quiet grace. Outdoors, the garden and burial site are immaculate. The headstones are modest, surrounded by blooming flowers, green lawn, and shaded by old Georgia trees. A paved path leads through the memorial garden and around a serene pond with a fountain. It’s peaceful and soul-soothing—exactly how you’d picture the Carters would want to be remembered. A special touch is the garden tribute to their grandson Jeremy—a reminder that this is still, at its heart, a family home. Whether you’re a history buff, admirer of the Carters, or just someone seeking a quiet moment, this place honors a life of service with simple beauty and deep respect. Worth the journey. ⸻

Always wanted to stop here and now have the chance. Took the scenic route from Georgia Veterans State Park to Plains and wasn’t disappointed. Try the National Park Service app for a guided tour of the town. Spent all day going to the various places including antique stores. Free admission to all the sites. Car buffs might enjoy Billy Carter’s service station. Final stop was the impressive Carter home overlook gravesite.

Always happy to visit any of the NPS sites. Rangers very friendly and informative. Thanks for preserving our collective national history.

Had a great time visiting with my dad. Would 100% recommend if you're the area. We also went to the Andersonville museum near by. Was a cool father/son weekend.

Never new he got s Grammy awesome 👌 guided keep it up

How much are from what other people have said. But it's really an amazing testament to the American dream, the idea that anyone from any background can rise to the top. What are amazing testament to American families and character of a man who put others above himself.

Excellent exhibit of Plains, president Carter and the high school he graduated from. Run by National park service. They have a small gift shop.

This is a great way to learn about the early life of one of our then Future president. This place proves that you can raise yourself to anywhere from a humble beginning

it was a class field trip. While I suspect going on my own would be more fun, trip was basically ran through like cattle.

Walk through the high school attended by our 39th president. Lots of great pictures and info.

We enjoyed the film about the Cater's family.

Small church that Jimmy Carter used to attend. Congregation is friendly and inviting. The staff that were involved in Mr. Carter's funeral preperations used this church to practice at and stage equipment. Very grateful that the church is heated. It got pretty cold during certain points in time that week.

This was a bucket list experience I was fortunate to check off in my life in 2018: driving 14 hours to a small church in Plains, GA. I went not only to see a former president teach Sunday school but also to witness one of the most inspirational humanitarians I know. My admiration for Mr. Carter, which began in childhood, has only deepened with his unwavering advocacy for peace after his presidency. The charm and wonder of the church, reminiscent of a Norman Rockwell painting, made this an unforgettable moment in my life.

I had the incredible privilege of attending a Sunday School lesson he taught at Maranatha Baptist Church in Plains, Georgia. It was a moment I will never forget. His personal relationship with Christ was so evident—his words were not just teachings; they were reflections of a life deeply rooted in faith, humility, and love for humanity.

This female pastor decided on her own to get rid of the US flag and the Christian flag! The church needs to remove her! It should have been brought up for the church to vote on! She thinks she has more authority than the whole church! She has to go or the church will divide and die!

This was the most amazing family trip we have ever taken. We did not witness any power trips and we were one of the "latecomers" escorted to the front. Having strong people in charge is not optional when a sitting or former President attends a function. You will definitely see bomb sniffing dogs and plenty of Secret Service. They will look into the windows of your car. They will not allow you to take a bag or backpack inside. Phones and cameras will be inspected by Secret Service agents as well as your wallet. The leaders of the church will tell you what you can and can't do. It's not optional. You will do it. "Latecomers" are seated in the front for a reason. Everything done on the days President Carter is there is done for a reason. Not a whim. So, with that out of the way, we had an exceptional experience and my son will have this memory to hold onto for the rest of his life. Mrs. Jan, Mrs. Betty, Pastor Brandon and, of course, President Carter were all welcoming and treated us as if they had known us all their lives. It was an almost six hour drive for us and we only spent one night. And I would do it all over again in a heartbeat! Wonderful service and message. President Carter is amazingly eloquent and shared very insightful stories about his time in office as well as how he views our current political situations. He related those stories to Bible passages that perfectly illustrated his compassion, understanding and acceptance of others. Pastor Brandon did an excellent job in the church service. His message illustrated a deeper understanding of the overall service and message. We downloaded and listened to "An Hour Before Daylight" by President Carter on the way down. I highly recommend doing the same so you have a deeper understanding of who and where you are visiting.

We got up 4AM and left the house at 4:35 am. Got to Plains, GA around 6:30 am. The experience was Great President Carter is a down to Earth and spiritual person. His staff is understanding and caring towards the Carter family. We didn't know that we would get to take pictures with him and his wife Roselyn Carter. That was AMAZING. I took my wife (Portia) and my mother (Mathilda aka Mattie).

As a retired Presbyterian pastor, I appreciate J. C. More than ever. Funeral brought many fresh tears. Vividly remember our admiration of GA’s “kiddy cabinet” by Jimmy Carter, when I served as Gov. Ford’s Dir. of Human Resources Coordinating Commission here in KY.

It was very beautiful but not what I was expecting in regards to varieties of plants, and the length of the trail.

Beautiful short trail with nice benches. A wonderful place to eat ice cream and sit to enjoy the butterflies and flowers.

Nice assortment of butterfly attracting flora.

Great car show, You can also stop in the old campaign headquarters and get some peanut ice cream it's fantastic 😊😊

Wonderful step back in time!! I was a very young girl but I remember the excitement of my parents when Jimmy Carter was elected as President. To be able to walk through this phase of history is an honor in itself.

Very interesting place to stop. The train depot was informative of the Jimmy Carter presidential election. A must see if you go to Plains. They were doing some construction on the train depot platform, but should be done soon. We really enjoyed our stop here today!

It's an awesome little town experience.

The shortest parade on our schedule, but the Al Sihah Shriners Scat Cats parade unit has been coming down to Plains for many years and always get a warm welcome.

Nice vacation adventure. Loved the historical train ride to Jimmy Carter's hometown. They sell drinks and snacks on the train, and sandwiches too. Love this trip! I'll be going again soon.

Truly enjoyed this experience. Train ride is scenic. Plains Georgia had quaint antique shops, museum, a couple restaurants, ample outdoor seating. The train has a small cafe. So nice to have someone else drive!☺️

It wasn't open when I visited at 3pm on a Friday which makes me question if it's open at all. But hey, it's there, it's part of the Jimmy Carter Presidential history and it's free. Stopped by and took a couple of pictures. Only thing I lost was a little time.

It was fun to stop in here and learn a little back story of Billy. there is some Billy memorabilia to see and some fun facts to read about him.

Georgia has its fair share of out-there attractions, and the Billy Carter Service Station & Museum is certainly one of them since it opened in 2008. The brother of Jimmy Carter, Billy had a collection of mementos from his brother’s presidency like almost no other. Its display cases, shelves, and specially-prepared drawer displays are filled with documents related to the rather turbulent life of this member of the Carter family. Like the Jimmy Carter National Historic Site, the service station is located in Plains.

It was closed when we were there (not sure if it is ever open). It is a gaudy over the top tourist attraction. Fortunately, it didn't cost anything to look at it from the outside.

No trip to Plains would be complete without a visit to Billy's service station! Remember it well from the TV back in 1976.

Not much there, but it was cool to drink a coke from the 7o's

We will be going back

Friendly staff inside. Clean and full.pf tourist brochures for all.s Ross Georgia. The state maps here are free but kept behind the counter and you have to ask for one. The paper on the state maps is very cheap though and the map tears easily. The gardens around the building are very nice too.

One of the nicest welcome centers in GA! The woman behind the counter was friendly and helpful on 10/9/25. She knew that the shutdown was limiting visitors’ enjoyment in Plains. So she explained how to enjoy the open areas in some of Jimmy Carter’s National Historical Sites. She provided a map and invited us to look around. She also gave us packets of peanuts and wildflower seeds. Husband indulged me by taking my photo with the Jimmy Carter cutout. He was the first President I campaigned for. I purchased a tee shirt with Rosalynn’s butterfly trail on the back. I took pictures of the rocking chairs and a Jimmy Carter mural. Outside, the grounds are peaceful and relaxing. I took photos of waterfowl by the pond & a wine bottle tree by an area perfect for reflection. The roses smelled so good. We both used the bathrooms which were clean and had everything we needed.

Lots of pamphlets on tourism and a small gift shop.

What a beautiful welcome center, with picnic area, beautiful lake, a very quiet and peaceful place to have questions answered, and suggestions for places to visit!

Linda was super nice and very knowledgeable about things to do in the area and throughout Georgia

The water lake is so peaceful and I loved learning about the president and his family

Plains Welcome Center is a pleasant, welcoming experience. The staff is so friendly and very knowledgeable. The grounds include gardens, a nice pond with ducks, picnic tables and shade. They even have a fire in the fireplace in chilly days.